Frenchmen Street Art Market receives a second line sendoff

"There's a reason why people have second lines and it's new beginnings."

Author:
Lauren Bale

Published:
10:15 PM CDT July 25, 2017

Updated:
10:15 PM CDT July 25, 2017

NEW ORLEANS -- The Frenchmen Street Art Market closed its doors and received a second line send off Tuesday night, despite an unexpected upset earlier in the day.

Art Market Manager Kate Gaar planned to spend the afternoon packing up the property one last time, but when she arrived Tuesday morning she discovered the property owner, Gregor Fox, had locked the gates and hired a security guard.

"They said you can't come back in here, no one is coming back in here," Gaar said. She added that legally, she has a right to the property for one more day, but Fox said that's not the case.

"We had a lease that ended at the latest, according to the courts, in February 2016," Fox said.

Gaar disagrees.

"This is how it's been through the whole thing, we go through the right steps and what we're supposed to do and there's always different kinks that have been thrown at us," Gaar said.

Today Fox released the following statement about the most recent dispute:

"Artists, your right to sell goods on Frenchmen is guaranteed by me. Let's talk. On a technical note, first thing tomorrow morning I will let Ms. Gaar onto the property and she will have all day to remove her goods."

Despite the incident today, the second line went on.

"It's a nice hurrah we've had so many good times out here," Gaar said.

Hundreds gathered to celebrate the end of one chapter and the start of another. Gaar said.

The crowd marched on toward new adventures, while looking back for a moment on what they had.

Fox says he will open his own art market at the Frenchmen Street location. Gaar will move to the Art Garage on St. Claude Avenue.